RALLY DAKAR 2024

Adrien Van Beveren wins and Ricky Brabec hits Dakar 2024 in Honda triplet

The Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren(image above) has taken victory in the ninth stage of the Dakar 2024 ahead of the American Ricky Brabec, who significantly extends his overall lead over the Botswana Ross Branch; while the Chilean Pablo Quintanilla has completed the triplet of the Monster Honda drivers.

Third yesterday after the Benavides brothers, Van Beveren took the stage taking no prisoners. With just a few days left and twelve minutes left in the overall standings, the Frenchman knew that his chances of final victory were to attack from the start and that is precisely what he has done.

Between kilometer 40 and 68 he managed to catch them and overtake them to open the track, with the consequent accumulation of bonuses. For much of the first half of the stage he sailed alone, but around the halfway point Kevin Benavides caught up with him again, and they rode together at a great pace until the end.

However, the fight for stage victory was not going to be so easy. Taking advantage of his great starting position, Ricky Brabec also squeezed the gas fist ready to deal a blow to the Dakar overall, since he had precisely started three minutes before his great rival, Ross Branch.

Ricky Brabec is more leader of the Dakar 2024 after being second in the ninth stage

Brabec knew it was a good day to make a difference and it didn't take him long to catch Toby Price, who had left six minutes before him and who had previously caught and released Nacho Cornejo, who was not having a good day. From there, Brabec and Price walked together to the finish line.

Although the best partial times were clearly for Brabec, the compensation for opening the track seemed to tip the balance in favor of Adrien Van Beveren, and this was confirmed at the finish line: discounting the 5:36 bonus, the Frenchman's time remained at 4 hours , 36 minutes and 36 seconds, taking victory in the stage starting in Hail and finishing in Al Ula, with 417 kilometers of special.

Ricky Brabec had a great move: he was only 42 seconds away from victory and tomorrow he will have his partner opening the track. Behind him, after several difficult days, Pablo Quintanilla had a great day to complete the Honda triplet; Therefore, tomorrow he will be close to his teammates best positioned in the general classification, in case it is necessary to help them.

Toby Price finished the day in fourth position, just a few seconds ahead of Ross Branch who lost more than seven minutes, moving away from Brabec in the general classification. With 3:26 of bonus, Kevin Benavides dropped just over eight, finishing ahead of Nacho Cornejo and Luciano Benavides, with Stefan Svitko ninth and Bradley Cox returning to the top 10.

CLASIFICACIÓN GENERAL DAKAR 2024:

1 Ricky BRABEC Honda 40h53'49''

2 Ross BRANCH Hero + 7'09''

3 Adrien VAN BEVEREN Honda + 11'16''

4 Nacho CORNEJO Honda + 13'46''

5 Kevin BENAVIDES KTM + 28'02''

6 Toby PRICE KTM + 35'12''

7 Luciano BENAVIDES Husqvarna + 49'09''

8 Daniel SANDERS GasGas + 59'47''

9 Stefan SVITKO KTM + 1h23'49''

10 Martin MICHEK KTM + 2h20'35''

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